Pfizer announced last week that it will sell its drugs only to a select group of buyers who agree the drugs will not be resold for use in executions. The ABA Journal reports that following Pfizer’s announcement, there is no longer a company that makes execution drugs with Food and Drug Administration approval that allows the drugs to be used in lethal injections.

The Tennessee Supreme Court, which governs the appointment of guardians ad litem in child custody proceedings, has proposed amending Rule 40A(1)(a) regarding the definition of “custody proceedings.” The change will eliminate the phrase “and contested private guardianship cases” from the phrase’s definition. The court is accepting written comments regarding the proposed amendment. Comments must be received by July 15. 

“Excluding individuals with severe mental illness from the death penalty on a case-by-case basis is just smart policy,” Hannah Cox writes in an opinion editorial for The Tennessean. Cox, coordinator of Tennessee Alliance for the Severe Mental Illness Exclusion, argues that the current lack of treatment for mental illness has resulted in law enforcement becoming responsible for these individuals. She adds excluding the mentally ill from death row will allow resources to be redirected to mental health care and victims' compensation. 

Following a U.S. Department of Education memo offering to school districts guidance on transgender students, Gov. Bill Haslam today said he “disagree(s) with the heavy-handed approach the Obama administration is taking.” The news release from Haslam’s office also said the governor believes the emerging area of law will be settled by the courts. USA Today reports the federal government’s letter, issued Friday, was released in an effort to provide clarity on what the law requires regarding transgender students, bathroom policies and more. 

Mountain State Contractors, one of the state’s largest road building companies, agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine to settle fraud claims regarding minority contract work. The company is a subsidiary of Mt. Juliet-based Jones Brothers. An investigation was launched after a Jones Brothers executive claimed he was told to falsify documents to make it seem as if a minority contractor was doing work that was actually performed by Jones Brothers. Federal contracting laws require that a percentage of federally funded road projects go to small, minority or women-owned firms. Read more from The Tennessean. 

The Tennessean takes a look at what it calls the General Assembly’s “lax” system for handling ethics complaints, noting that the state House and Senate’s respective ethics committees have not met in years. The article outlines the complicated system in Tennessee for filing a complaint, pointing out that the system is unlike many others. 

The U.S. Supreme Court today avoided ruling on the dispute between faith-based groups and the Obama administration over birth control when it asked lower courts to reach a compromise on the issue. The unanimous opinion said it would not rule on the merits of the challenge and effectively threw out lower court rulings that had favored the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate. Religious nonprofits claimed they could reject the requirement under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “The decision to send the case back to the appellate level appears to be a direct impact of Justice Antonin Scalia's death in February,” CNN reports.

State Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons is vacating his position at the end of August. Gov. Bill Haslam appointed Gibbons, former Shelby County district attorney general, to his current Cabinet position in January 2011. The Commercial Appeal reports Gibbons is expected to lead a new partnership between the Memphis Crime Commission and the University of Memphis.

Court of Appeals Judge Neal McBrayer was one of several speakers who visited Capshaw Elementary School in Cookeville to discuss personal experiences with severe food allergies. The Herald Citizen reports speakers at the event, held Monday during Tennessee’s Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 8-14), encouraged students and school staff to help keep those with food allergies safe. 

The petitioner, Demarcus Keyon Cole, acting pro se, appeals the post-conviction court?s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief, arguing he received ineffective assistance of counsel. After review, we affirm the denial of the petition.